In a saw mill environment where cut timber is delivered for further processing, a situation generally exists where manual labor is employed to physically handle and cut the timber into particular log or block lengths. Use of such labor, is problematical due to large numbers of laborers required, dependability of attendance, safety of the laborers, consistency of product, and very importantly, variance as to amounts of board feet for a particular type wood that has been cut.
In a hardwood veneer mill the timber or logs are cut into blocks of a predetermined length; treated; and subsequently placed on large lathes where they are individually cut into continuous thin strips that are used in producing veneer. It is very important to ascertain board footage of a particular type of wood that will be used to produce a hardwood veneer. Historically, the hardwood blocks have been cut at a length and a manual laborer has been utilized to manually measure the diameter of the log with a rule and record the diameter of same such that the board footage of the particular block can be calculated. Since a mill cuts many different kinds of orders each normal working day, a more efficient method of handling and of calculating board footage would be very desirable. Likewise, handling of the cut blocks has been manual from the standpoint of removal of the blocks from the saw or other cutting means and individual transportation or almost individual transportation of the blocks by a forklift to the processing area where the blocks are steamed and conditioned for cutting into continuous strips from which veneer is produced.
Further problems have existed in the industry directed to the removal of waste or scrap portions of logs that result during the block cutting operation at both ends and sometimes in the middle of a log being cut. Historically, these waste log portions have been manually removed from around the cutting area to permit the next cutting operation to be conducted. Again, manual labor has been utilized to perform this function, and tremendous safety problems are apparent.
The present invention provides a system for efficiently and economically handling particularly hardwood logs for the production of blocks from which hardwood veneer is produced. The present system represents a tremendous advance in the art, in that, better quality control is maintained, substantially less labor is involved, production rates are increased tremendously, and the operation is substantially safer than prior systems.